She's a teenager, she's trouble, she's every parent's daughter, she's been the subject of a book and now she's taking her tirades to the stage.

She's a teenager, she's trouble, she's every parent's daughter, she's been the subject of a book and now she's taking her tirades to the stage.

She's 13-year-old Estelle and she's at the heart of everything in THE BOOK OF THE BANSHEE.

The book by Britain's Children's Laureate, Barnard Castle based Anne Fine, has been adapted by Tina Williams to provide a rare piece of theatre specifically for 11 to 13-year-olds.

It is one of two exciting productions at Middlesbrough Theatre next week, taking up residence on Tuesday and Wednesday, before being succeeded from Thursday until a week tomorrow by a new version of Clifford Odets' boxing saga, GOLDEN BOY.

"I have written about 20 plays for children and young people, as well as adapting a few, and I wanted specifically to do something for the 11 to 13 age range," says Tina.

"There are lots of shows for younger children and older children but not much for the 11 to 13-year-olds.

"It is a very challenging age range and not many people write for it.

"I liked the idea of a child growing into a teenager overnight. All parents have known these changes to their child. They can be ten to 15 but it happens to them all.

"It is very much a family issue and the families we have had in to see the show all recognise the havoc that a teenager causes."

They'll certainly understand one of the fights which follows Estelle's bid to go for a night on the town wearing the scimpiest clothing.

Tina, who has seen five of her productions transfer to London's West End, has deliberately kept Anne Fine's book title for the stage version.

"I had taken out adaptations of some of her books before but did not know her before I worked on this. She was great fun.

"I had to get the rights to The Book Of The Banshee and then submit draft scripts to her. There were six and it has now reached this final one, the seventh.

"I did not send her every single one. I looked at a lot and reworked them anyway."

Tina has two children. "Ben has been through the teenage years but Emily who is 11 is just about to start.

"Estelle in the play is into tantrums. Some people find teenage girls more trouble and some find boys more trouble. I can identify with that."

The play is in the middle of a three month tour.

"It has been going down well," says Tina. "We get a lot of laughs. We see parents turning to their children and saying 'See what we have to put up with.'

"We have given packs to schools about it and are suggesting they do Oprah Winfrey-Jerry Springer show type workshops where young people play the parents on the panel listening to problems.

"This way they will be reversing things so they can see things from their parents' point of view."

Tina herself reckons she was no trouble as a teenager. "I think I was so preoccupied with drama that it took all of my time.

"I started drama at ten, then youth theatre and was directing by my teens. I joined a theatre company at 17 and never went back home.

"I think I was just so involved, I did not have any time to rebel."

Anne Fine has not been to see the show yet but it is hoped she will come along to Middlesbrough Theatre.

"I am sure she will see it one day but I am not sure when," says Tina.

Both Ben and Emily have. "Ben saw it on first night. Emily has seen it lots of times and she will be seeing it another few times.

"She loves it. She has been very helpful with her comments. It's not just the script, you have to be so careful choosing costumes - you have to get the trousers just right - and the music.

"Thanks to Emily, we have got music by Wheatus (Teenage Dirt Bag), OPM, Linkin Park, and Limp Bizkit."

Golden Boy later in the week opens with a spellbinding slow-motion boxing match set to Saint-Saens' music.

Best known for the film version that starred Sammy Davis Jnr, it is a sort of earlier Billy Elliot in reverse about a poor boy from 1930s New York who has to choose between boxing and music.

"He is a gifted violinist but boxing can provide him with an escape from poverty," says the Middlesbrough Theatre manager David Lindsey.

"He is forced into becoming a boxer and there's a boxing sequence in the street which is very balletic."

The production, featuring a cast of 14, is set against a huge backdrop of New York.

This is time accurate and does not feature the twin towers of the World Trade Center which was not built until 1973. "Although some people claim that they can see them," says David.

Clifford Odets was the most successful of the American social protest playwrights of the 1930s.

"Many people say he is better than Arthur Miller because he is so much less pretentious," says David.

Both shows have been put together with the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre at Guildford where he was general manager before he came to Middlesbrough.

"They are here as part of my bid to bring in a wider range of productions and appeal to a wider range of audience."

For details of both ring 01642 815181.

THE Forum Theatre at Billingham has THE MAGIC OF THE MUSICALS with Marti Webb and Robert Meadmore on Sunday before Stockton Stage Society moves in with the musical ANNIE GET YOUR GUN for nine days from Thursday.

DARLINGTON Arts Centre has Protein Dance inviting the audience to join them for a real taste of PUBLIFE on Wednesday and Thursday.